Ecological niche of the Asiatic Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus venaticus) in the arid environment of Iran (Mammalia: Felidae)

The Asiatic Cheetah, Acinonyx jubatus venaticus , is a species of global conservation concern and a small population occurs in Iran in fragmented habitats located in the central parts of the country with a continental, arid climate. Naybandan Wildlife Refuge (NWR) holds the largest population in Ira...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Zoology in the Middle East 2015-04, Vol.61 (2), p.109-117
Main Authors: Sarhangzadeh, Jalil, Akbari, Hassan, Shams Esfandabad, Bahman
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acinonyx jubatus
arid zones
Asiatic Cheetah
conservation areas
dry environmental conditions
ecological niche factor analysis
factor analysis
habitat fragmentation
habitat suitability modelling
habitats
Naybandan Wildlife Refuge
water resources
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The Asiatic Cheetah, Acinonyx jubatus venaticus , is a species of global conservation concern and a small population occurs in Iran in fragmented habitats located in the central parts of the country with a continental, arid climate. Naybandan Wildlife Refuge (NWR) holds the largest population in Iran. To understand better the factors which determine the occurrence of cheetahs in these areas, we applied an Ecological Niche Factor Analysis (ENFA) to assess the relationship between occurrences of cheetahs across the NWR and topographic, biological, and anthropogenic factors. ENFA analysis results suggested that cheetahs have a tendency to inhabit areas different from the mean conditions of the study area and live in a narrow set of conditions. They prefer mountainous habitats far from flat areas, habitats near to water resources, and habitats with high prey densities. 13% of the NWR can be classified as suitable habitat for the cheetah, indicating a high conservation value of this reserve for the species.
ISSN:2326-2680
0939-7140
2326-2680
DOI:10.1080/09397140.2015.1035007